How to watch deleted videos on Xiaomi phone: from cart to deep scan

You're not alone: according to statistics, one in three users has lost media files at least once due to accidental pressing or system failure. Fortunately, Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones have several built-in recovery mechanisms, and third-party tools will work for complex cases. In this article, we will analyze all the working methods, from checking the MIUI basket to using professional utilities like DiskDigger or EaseUS MobiSaver.

It's important to understand that the chances of success depend on how long it has been since you deleted and whether you've used your phone after that. The faster you act, the more likely you are to return the entire files, and we'll also show you how to avoid permanent data loss in the future, for example by setting up automatic backups in Mi Cloud or Google Photos.

1.Check the basket at MIUI Gallery

Modern versions of the MIUI shell (starting with MIUI 12) automatically send deleted media files to the bin, where they are stored for up to 30 days, the first and easiest way to return videos without third-party software.

To find the basket:

• 📱 Open the standard Gallery app on your Xiaomi.
• 🗑️ Tap it on three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select the Recycle Bin (or Recently Deleted in some versions).
• 🔍 Scroll through the list and find the video you want. Hold your finger on the file to select it, then click Restore.

If the cart is empty or the video is not there, it means:

• 🕒 More than 30 days have passed since the deletion (files are automatically cleared).
• 🗃️ The video was deleted not through the gallery, but through the file manager (in this case, it does not fall into the basket).
• 🔄 You've already cleaned the basket manually.

⚠️ Attention: In some firmware MIUI for POCO The cart can be disabled by default. To activate it, go to Gallery Settings. → Basket → Turn on the basket.

2. Recovery through backups

If you previously configured sync with Mi Cloud or Google Photos, deleted videos could be saved to the cloud, which works even if the file was deleted months ago, so you need to back up before you delete it.

Method 1: Mi Cloud

• ☁️ Open the Settings. → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud.
• 📁 Go to Gallery or Backups section.
• 🔍 Find the right video and download it back to the device.

Method 2: Google Photos

• 📷 Launch the Google Photos app.
• 🔎 In the search bar, enter the title of the video or the date of shooting.
• 💾 If a file is found, click on the three dots next to it and select Save to your device.

If there are no backups, don’t despair – in the following sections, we’ll look at ways to recover directly from your phone’s memory.

⚠️ Note: If you have deleted the video from SD-Maps, cloud backups won't help -- they only sync internal memory. In this case, move on to PC-based methods (sections 4 and 5).

3. Search in hidden folders and cache

Sometimes videos are not deleted completely, but moved to service folders or remain in the cache of applications, for example, instant messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp) and social networks (TikTok, Instagram) can save copies of downloaded video files.

Where to look:

• 📁 /storage/emulated/0/DCIM/.thumbnails — Video miniatures (sometimes saved even after the original is deleted).
• 🤖 /storage/emulated/0/Android/data/ — This is where the cached application files are stored. For example, for WhatsApp, the path will be /Android/data/com.whatsapp/.
• 📥 /storage/emulated/0/Download/ — Sometimes videos are automatically downloaded here.

To access hidden folders:

1. Install a file manager with root access support, such as FX File Explorer or Solid Explorer.
2. Enable the display of hidden files in the manager settings.
3. Search by extensions: type.mp4,.mov or.3gp.

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If you don't find videos in standard folders, try looking by file change date. In the file manager, sort the content by "Date of modification" so it's easier to find recently deleted files.

4. PC Recovery: DiskDigger and EaseUS MobiSaver

If previous methods didn’t work, connect your phone to your computer and use specialized data recovery software that scans your internal memory at a low level and can find files even if they were deleted long ago.

Step 1: Preparation

• 🖥️ Install one of the programs on your PC: DiskDigger (free version restores only photos, you need Pro for video); EaseUS MobiSaver (paid, but there is a trial period); Recuva (free, but less effective for Android).
• 📱 Turn on the phone Developer Mode and activate Debugging by USB (In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI Press 7 times, then return to the Additional Settings → For developers).

Step 2: Scanning

1. Connect Xiaomi to your PC via USB-cable (select File Transfer Mode).
2. Run the program and select the internal memory scan (do not use it) SD-map!).
3. Wait until the process is completed (it can take anywhere from 10 minutes to several hours).
4. Filter results by file type by selecting Video or.mp4,.mov extensions.

Step 3: Recovery

• 📤 Tag the videos you find and save them to your PC hard drive (not your phone!).
• 📲 Transfer files back to Xiaomi after the process is complete.

Install the program (DiskDigger/EaseUS)|Enable USB debugging on Xiaomi|Connect your phone in File Transfer mode |Charge your phone at least 50% |Do not use your phone while scanning-->

⚠️ Note: Do not save recovered files to the same drive from which they were deleted (for example, to the internal memory of the phone.

5.Use ADB for deep scanning (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work, and video is critical, you can try manual recovery via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires technical skills and only works if root rights are available.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB and Fastboot.
• 📱 Xiaomi phone with unlocked bootloader and root access.
• 🔧 Autopsy or scalpel utility for analyzing memory dump.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the phone to the PC and open the terminal (command line).
2. Enter the command to create a data partition dump: adb shell su dd if=/dev/block/mmcblk0pXX of=/sdcard/dump.img (replace mmcblk0pXXX with an actual partition, for example, mmcblk0p64 for /data).
3. Copy the dump on PC: adb pull /sdcard/dump.img
4. Scan the dump using autopsy or scalpel, look for signatures of video formats (e.g. FTYP for MP4).

This is a complex and risky method: if you do something wrong, you can damage the system, and if you're not sure about your skills, you should consult a specialist, because manipulating memory parts on your own can lead to complete loss of data.

6.Prevention: How to Avoid Losing Video in the Future

To avoid the problem of deleted videos, set up automatic backup and follow the simple rules:

• ☁️ Cloud Services: Enable Autoboot in Google Photos (Settings) → Backup and sync. Activate backup in Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• 💾 Local Copies: Move important videos to your PC or external drive regularly. Use apps like SyncMe to automatically sync to your home NAS.
• 🔒 Accidental Deletion Protection: Set a password for folders with important files (for example, through File Hide Expert.

Also avoid:

• 🚫 Formatting memory without prior backup.
• 🚫 Using cleaners like Clean Master – they often delete files without recovery.
• 🚫 Connecting your phone to questionable PCs (the risk of viruses that can encrypt data).

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The most reliable way to protect the data is a combination of cloud backup (Google Photos or Mi Cloud) and local backup on the PC, which ensures that files are safe even if your phone breaks down.

FAQ: Frequent questions about video recovery on Xiaomi